It is the army that finally makes a citizen of you; without it you still have a chance, however slim, to remain a human being.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker argues that conscription or military service fundamentally transforms an individual into a citizen, implying that without this experience, one retains a precarious status as a human being.
- In plain terms
- Joining the army turns you into a citizen; without it, you might stay a human but it is risky.
- What can you take from it?
- Military service is presented as a necessary rite of passage for full citizenship.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What defines a citizen?
- Is military service necessary for belonging?
Another view
The quote implies non-citizens are less human, which is a controversial and exclusionary view.
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